


Beauty Salon II

by palombaggia



Series: Beautiful People [2]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Haircuts, M/M, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-18
Updated: 2014-07-18
Packaged: 2018-02-09 10:00:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1978635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palombaggia/pseuds/palombaggia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal's hair grows back. But there seems to be other issues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beauty Salon II

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kanarek13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kanarek13/gifts).



> Posted in January on my LJ. Still dealing with the consequences of Neal's new haircut and inspired by some blood counts I had to do at the time ( yuk).  
> For the wonderful Kanarek13. Her art blows me away each time.

They were in bed, facing each other, propped on their elbows, Neal curled up in the middle. Peter gently rubbed small circles on Neal's lower back. Neal was asleep, at last, fisting El's nightshirt. At one point, Peter had considered leaving for the guest room, since Neal had been restless for most of the night, moaning and kicking profusely. Peter sighed.

Another agitated night.

" Hon, do you think he'll ever be like before, because-"

El smiled.

" You're not talking about the haircut, are you?"

" No, I was-" Peter stopped mid sentence " in general..."

El repressed the urge to go back to sleep. They shared this conversation at least twice a week, if not more.

_"I did it for you"_

_" don't you dare try to justify"_

Peter was haunted by those words. El wondered if he would ever get over it. Neal was much better at coping with this.

" See, I should've listened...I should've understood...I should've...it's all my fault, Hon. He was dealing with a socio path-"

" Peter" El said " we're not having this conversation again, are we? Because if that's the case, then I strongly disrecommend we have it here, in our bed. We'll argue _again_ and we'll wake him up _again_ and he'll be upset _again_. Is this what you want?"

Peter winced at the thought.

" No, Hon, but-"

" But nothing" El said, fierce, " we are all responsible for this mess. You, for sure, for being so stubborn...but I'm responsible too. I told him to do what he had to do to get you out..no matter what. It was the stupidest thing I ever said. I should have known better... And Neal should've told you about Hagen much earlier. We both know this. Neal knows this too. End of discussion"

Neal emitted a muffled protest, his fingers clutching the fabric of El's robe even tighter.

" Sh...." El mouthed to Peter " stop worrying...Diana told me he was doing fine at the offce-"

" I don't know, Hon. He's still very jumpy and insecure at work.....he needs lots of attention"

" Wasn't this always the case?" El asked, mischievous.

Peter kissed the nape of Neal's neck. He was rewarded by goosebumps and a slight shiver.

" Yeah...in a way but-"

" Let him sleep" El murmured " it's early still"

Peter slid his fingers into Neal's hair. It was crunchy and a little sticky from gel. He busied himself at breaking the clumps apart with his fingertips.

" I wish he'd stop using that" he muttered under his breath " It's gross-"

" Peter" El pointed out, exquisitely patient since Peter's ramblings about Neal's hairstyling gel was a recurrent issue these days " you know it's just for a few weeks..until it grows long enough-"

" I know" Peter whispered, crestfallen " It's just...when I look at him like that...he reminds me of-"

" A little hedgehog" El chuckled " but it's worse without the gel..his hair stands up and it's really messy"

" Did you tell him? About today?" Peter asked, his fingertips now lingering on Neal's shoulder blades.

" Nah. He would've made a fuss if I had"

Neal's aversion for any medical supervision was legendary. Peter suspected it came from Neal's past as a con man, always on the run. Doctors meant papers, evidence...trails....

" At what time?" Peter asked.

" I took the earliest appointement. 6.45 am. The clinic is sending someone over to get the samples at home. Hopefully, he'll be half asleep still-"

There was a distressed moan from under the sheets.

" What did you two plot behind my back?" Neal yawned " I dont like the sound of this"

" Hi sweetie" El said " go back to sleep. Peter and I are just talking-"

" C'm here" Peter said, pulling him into a warm embrace- Neal looked flat-out adorable with his hair spiking in dozen different directions- " we were discussing your health"

" My health is fine" Neal said, tensing immediately " I'm fine"

" That's not for you to decide" Peter answered " your latest blood count was disastrous. I hope today's one-"

Neal disentangled himself from Peter, instantly on guard. He jumped out of the bed in full sulking mode.

" This is not a nice way to start the day, Peter" he snapped, his arms crossed. " I'm going downstairs. I won't sleep now, no matter what"

" Well, that went well, don't you think?" El said, amused. " I think you need to go and talk to him, I would if I were you"

" Hon!" Peter whined " you sound as if you're taking his side-"

" I am" El replied " that's what I do. You get the hard job- education, punishment, rules...- I get the fun part - cuddling, spoiling-"

" Elizabeth Burke" Peter said, " this is really unfair"

" No it isn't, Peter. You spent half of our married life running after Neal or looking after him...I think it's only fair I get some compensations."

" Thanks for your help, Hon" Peter grunted " I'll make him come to his senses pronto, believe me"

" How exactly do you plan on solving this little tantrum?"

" I'm gonna tell him it's non negotiable. I'm not gonna change my mind over this..so he might as well drop it. Full stop"

El had to bite her lip not to burst out laughing.

" I'm pretty sure he's gonna kick you out of the living room."

Peter rubbed his face with the palm of his hands.

" I'm pretty sure you're right. He'll try, at least. But I'm much stronger than he is...so he'll have to listen anyway"

 

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" I'm not talking to you" Neal said, grabbing the remote and increasing the volume of CNN.

" Hmmm" Peter answered " would you rather discuss this with El then?"

Neal narrowed his eyes, suspicious " El? I thought this was _your idea_."

" It is. But feel free to broach the subject with her if you prefer. That's fine by me"

" Ok" Neal murmured, looking relieved.

Peter climbed the stairs, beaming.

" Hon? Neal wants to talk to you, sorry about that by the way, but it seems you'll have to deal with rules and-"

 

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" Sweetie?" El rested her chin on Neal's shoulder, circling his waist from behind " I know it's not a fun way to start the day. But it's only blood samples and we're concerned about your health, ok?"

Neal considered sulking for a least one more hour. But El's perfume was intoxicating. He leaned into the caress, closing his eyes.

" Hmm" he said " still, I think it's wrong-"

" Now" El continued " Peter had something nice in mind for lunch, a surprise..since he didn't want the rest of your day to be miserable-"

" Really?" Neal smiled " whatizit?"

" This new fancy japanese restaurant that opened last month, you know-"

" Bankai?" Neal was overjoyed now, all resentment forgotten " the one with the vegetable tempuras and the-"

" Precisely" El enthused " Yvonne says there are seventy different types of sushis and makis and sashimis...it's heaven"

Neal buried his head in the crook of El's neck.

" Hmmm, this is really sweet of Peter. He _hates_ sushis"

" I know, sweetie, but he's doing it for you, ok?"

 

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Neal came down from the bedroom, rolling his sleeves down.

" Here" Peter said, handing him a cup of coffee " you must be dying for this"

Neal took the cup from Peter's hand, blushing slightly.

" What is it, Neal?" Peter asked, puzzled

" I'm sorry for..I'm sorry ok? And thank you so much for the surprise......El told me about it..I hope you don't mind-"

" Not at all" Peter said, turning to El, his eyes inquisitive.

El smiled, the Mona Lisa smile Peter had come to distrust over the years.

" Neal? Are we ready to leave?" Peter asked, grabbing his brief case.

Neal stepped out of the house, all bouncy and happy like a young puppy.

" El?" Peter whispered, kissing his wife goodbye " surprise?"

" You're having lunch at Bankai today, Peter. Japanese food. Neal is thrilled"

" Hon" Peter almost strangled himself " you know I hate-"

" Huh huh....like I said, you get the hard job...education, punishment, rules and sushis"

The end

 

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Beautiful People series. I hope I'll write more of these once I finish my monster epic WC Fic.


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